420 A LETTER: Whearin, part of the Entertain- and Merchaunt of London 1. DE REGINA NOSTRA ILLUSTRISSIMA. Dum laniata ruat vicina ob regna tumultu, Læta suos inter genialibus ILLA diebus. (Gratia Diis) fruitur: Ru'pantur et ilia Codro. It is to be regretted that we possess no further account of the lively and facetious writer of the following Letter than is incidently contained in the Letter itself; but his communicative disposition has furnished numerous hints respecting himself, from which we may clearly collect the following facts : That he was a native of Nottinghamshire, and went to St. Paul's School, as also to St. Antoniez," where he was in the fifth form, and read Esop, Terence, and Virgil. It seems he was originally destined for trade, and that his master's name was Bomsted, a Mercer in London, in which City he probably resided early in life, though born in the County of Nottingham. Here he evidently formed acquaintance with other respectable tradesmen besides his friend Humphrey Martin, Mercer and Merchant, to whom his printed letter is addressed, as he particularly commends himself to Master Alderman Pullison, to Master Thorogood, and to his merry companion Master Denman, Mercer. Jur. Seld. and M. 9. Act. B. S.) 'There are two copies of this book in the Bodleian Libary, (38 both in small octavos, in black letter, and consisting of 89 pages. other, sufficiently however to prove that they are separate editions. printer's name. From a copy of the former of them, taken by Mr. J. Green, of Stratford, an octavo edition was printed in 1784, with the notes marked J. G. A more accurate transcript of the same original, with some few corrections from a copy in the possession of the Duchess Dowager of Portland, was printed in the former Edition of these Progresses; and is here re-printed.-In Herbert's Ames, p. 1689, this tract is intituled, "A Whip for an Ape, or Martin displaied." As a Merchant-adventurer he traded into "sundry countries," amongst which he particularly enumerates France and Flanders; but as he mentions Spanish as well as French and Dutch in the foreign languages he had acquired a knowledge of, it seems probable that he visited Spain also. To these accomplishments he added dancing and music, playing (according to his own account) on the guitar, cittern, and virginal: he sang also, and appears to have been a gallant with the Ladies, and a bon vivant with the men, loving sack and sugar, or else, according to his own confession, he should not "blush so mooch a dayz." "I am woont (says he) to be jolly & dry a mornings;" and in his remembrances to his London acquaintances, he names especially his "good old freend Master Smith, Custumer, by that same token,'Set my hors up to the rack, and then let's have a Cup of Sak.' He knoes ye token well ynough, and will laugh, I hold ye a grote." He mentions his love of reading, and, that his friend may not marvel to see him "so bookish," describes his education, adding, that when at leisure from the Councel, he reads various books; "storiez (says he) I delight in; the more auncient & rare, the more like-sum unto me." And the truth of this is abundantly shown in his Letter. Whether his "adventures" proved unsuccessful, or mercurial disposition ill suited the regular habits of a Merchant trader, is not apparent; but that one or other was the case may well be guessed: and it appears that some time before the Queen's Visit to Kenilworth he became a Protégé of the munificent and powerful Earl of Leicester, by whose influence he was made "Clark of the Councel Chamber door, and also Keeper of the same." Nor did his Patron's kindness rest here: for Laneham very gratefully relates, that, besides this, the noble Earl gave him apparel from his own back, got him allowance in the stable, and helped him in his licence of beans, whereby (although he does not much use it) his good father is well relieved by being permitted to serve the stable: and thus adds be, I now go in my silks, that else might ruffle in my cut-canvas; ride on horseback that else might manage on foot; am known to their honours, and taken forth with the best, that else might be bid to stand back. How he carried himself in this office is thus described with much naïveté in his own words. When the Councel sit (says he) I am at hand; if any make a babbling, "peace," I say; if I take a listener or a prier in at the chinks or lock-hole, I am bye, and bye at the bones of him; if a friend come, I make him sit down by me on a form or chest-let the rest walk a god's name. With the companionable qualities before described, it is not surprising that his society was sought after, and that he was admitted into the company of his superiors: accordingly we find that many afternoons and nights, during the stay of Elizabeth at Kenilworth Castle, he was with Sir George Howard, and sometimes at Lady Sidney's chambers, but always amongst the gentlewomen, "by my good-will." To his old companions in London it seems he was known by the appellation of the Black Prince, and to evince his knowledge in Spanish, he concludes his description of himself at the close of his Letter by the term, "El prencipe Negro." Whether the present is the only instance of his authorship may perhaps be questioned, though the grounds are merely conjectural: but in D'Israeli's Quarrels of Authors, vol. III. p. 271, et seq. is the copy of a very rare poetical tract, describing with considerable force the Revolutionists of Queen Elizabeth's Reign, entitled, "Rythmes against Martin Marre-Prelate," in which is the following stanza : And ye grave men, that answere Martin's mowes, He mocks the more, and you in vain loose times, Let his workes goe the waie of all wast writings. It seems not very improbable to conjecture, that, amongst the various qualifications of our Laneham, a talent for versification was included, and his powers of satire and ridicule cannot be doubted, for these he possessed in a supereminent degree. No poet of the name of Laneham occurs in Ritson, or is noticed by any other writer. Perhaps it may not be quite irrelevant to remark, that, in 1574, Queen Elizabeth granted a licence to James Burbage, John Perkyn, John Lanham, and two others, servaunts to the Earle of Leycester," to exhibit all kinds of stage-plays during pleasure in any part of England. And in a chronological series of the Queen's payments for plays acted before her, taken from the Council-registers, is the following item : 15 March 1589-90, to John Dutton and John Lanham, two of the Queen's Players, for two interludes; showed before her, on St. Stephen's day, and Shrove Sunday last, 20..0..0. The coincidence of a John Laneham being a player under the licence and protection of the Earl of Leicester, in 1574 (and undoubtedly of eminence in his profession), is remarkable, and seems to point out the person as being a relative, or, at least, connected with the author of the descriptive letter: but materials are wanting to trace the particular nature of the connection. Thus far from the splendid publication of Laneham's Letter, in 1821, by Messrs. Merridew and Son, Booksellers at Coventry, under the superintendance of my valuable friends William Hamper, Esq. of Birmingham, and Thomas Sharp, Esq. of Coventry '. 'An interesting Print has been also published by Messrs. Merridew, being a View of Kenilworth Castle, as it appeared in 1620, engraved by Mr. William Radcliffe, from a drawing (in the possession of J. Newdigate Ludford, Esq. LL.D. of Ansley Hall) made by Henry Beighton in 1716, of the curious fresco Painting then existing upon a Wall (since destroyed) at Newnham Padox, the Seat of the Earl of Denbigh; and a reduced copy of it may be seen in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. XCI, i. 249. |